Packing machines



N 1966 A. SCHMERMUND 3,282,407

PACKING MACHINES Filed Sept. 23, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENTOR ALFRED'SCHMERMUND ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1966 SCHMERMUNP 3,282,407

PACKING \MACHINES Filed Sept. 23, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALFREDSCHMERMUND BY 72%: wk/7% ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1966 A. SCHMERMUND 3,232,407

PACKING MACHINES Filed Sept. 23, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

' INVENTOR ALFRED SCHMERMUND ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1966 A. SCHMERMUNDPACKING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 23, 1964 Fig. 5

INVENTOR ALFRED SCHMERMUND ATTORNEYS 1966 V A. SCHMERMUND 3,

PACKING MACHINES Filed Sept. 23. 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.6

INVENTOR ALFRED SCHMERMUND ATTORNEYS United States Patent PACKINGMACHINES Alfred Schmermund, 62 Kornerstrasse, Gevelsberg, Westphalia,Germany Filed Sept. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 398,628 Claims priority,application Great Britain, Sept. 27, 1963,

4 Claims. (Cl. 198-175) The invention relates to packing machines, forexample to machines for packing cigarettes.

In packing machines it is often required to convey articles eitherbefore or after they have been packed from one place to another. Forthis purpose, it is usual to provide a feed table between the twoplaces, the table having a slot extending between the two places, aplurality of push members being provided which are adapted to projectthrough the slot from underneath the table, means being providedunderneath the table for moving the push members along the slot so thatarticles are pushed by the push members from one place to the other. Themeans for moving the push members generally comprise two endlessparallelconveyor chains linked together by transverse rods which carry the pushmembers.

It is an object of the invention to provide anarrangement in and for apacking machine, which comprises two endless parallel conveyors linkedtogether by transverse means carrying the push members, wherein conveyorchains are avoided.

It is another object of the invention to provide such an arrangementwhich does not require lubricating. Thereby soiling of parts of themachine or of articles to be conveyed by a lubricant is avoided.

Conveyorfl chains as hitherto used comprise a multiplicity of beatingswhich are liable to wear and tear. If, for example, the distance betweenthe two places through which the articles are to be conveyed is between6 and '8 metres, then with commonly used conveyor chains 470 to 560bearings may be required. When in use each bearing has been worn out byonly 0.1 millimetre the total length of the conveyor chain is increasedby 47 to 56 millimetres. This increase of length is sufiicient to upsetthe original setting of the machine and its correct functioning.

Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to provide aconveyor arrangement, wherein a multiplicity of bearings, which areliable to wear and tear, are avoided.

For transmitting power, belts have been used, which have teeth and areprovided with pull-resisting inserts and a wear-resisting surface. Thepull-resisting inserts may comprise a plurality of steel cords, and thewear-resisting surfaces may be surfaces of layers of nylon on rubber orsynthetic rubber. Such belts are known per se and are at presentavailable in the trade under the name Power Grip Belts. They have beenused for transmitting power but, to the best of my knowledge have notbeen used as conveyor belts for packing machines.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a conveyorarrangement in and for packing machines, wherein the hitherto usedconveyor chains are replaced by Power Grip Belts.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeclear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodimentgiven by way of ex ample, when read in conjunction to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a portion of an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view, partly in section, of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

3,282,407 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of aconveyor belt and a first clamp part of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates a portion of a conveyor belt and a second clamp partof the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 illustrates the second clamp part of FIG. 5 separately; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a portion of a toothed wheel of the embodiment ofFIG. 1.

The embodiment illustrated comprises a feed table 10 for supportingarticles 11. The feed table 10 has a slot 12 extending in thelongitudinal direction of the table 10. At each end, the slot 12 mergesinto a widened opening 121. Push members 13 each having a head 14 foracting on articles 11 are provided, the push members 13 entering theslot 12 through the opening 121 at one end of the slot 12 and leavingthe slot 12 through the other opening 121. The push members 13 aremovable by a conveyor arrangement underneath the table 10, the table 10and the conveyor arrangement being mounted on support walls 16. I

The conveyor arrangement comprises two pairs of toothed wheels 17, onepair shown in FIG. 3 being keyed to a common shaft 21 rotatably mountedin the support walls 16, and driven by any suitable drive 22, the otherpair of toothed wheel 17 being idle and mounted on a similar shaft 211parallel to the shaft 21 and rotatably mounted in the support walls 16.In some of the gaps 18 (FIG. 7) between adjacent teeth of the toothedwheels 17, recesses 23 are provided which are tapering in a sectionperpendicular to the shaft 21. Two Power Grip Belts 24 are provided,each belt 24 being entrained about two toothed wheels 17, one of eachpair of toothed wheels. Each belt 24 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) has a pluralityof pull-resisting steel cords 25 inserted therein and a wearresistinglayer, preferably of nylon, which is provided with teeth 27 which meshwith the teeth of the respective toothed wheels 17, the teeth 27 of thebelts 24 being received in the gaps 18 of the toothed wheels 17.

The belts 24 are parallel to each other and to the slot 12 in the feedtable 10, and lie at either side of the slot 12 symmetrically thereto.

Transverse elements in the shape of bars 28 are connected to theconveyor belts 24 and carry the push members 13 which thus are linked tothe conveyor belts 24. The push members 13 are bolted to the transversebars 28 by bolts 15 and are movable with the conveyor belts 24. Thetransverse bars 28 are provided with rounded elements 31, at their ends,the centre of curvature of the elements 31 lying in the axis of theshaft 21 or 211 while a transverse bar travels with the respectivetoothed Wheels 17 around the respective shaft. While travelling in theupper straight path, the rounded end elements 31 of the transverse bars28 are guided in channels 32 provided in guide members 33. At each end,the channels 32 widen as at 34 and lead to circular guide channels 35adjacent the peripheries of the toothed wheels 17, the circular guidechannels 35 being formed by guide plates 36 carried by the support walls16.

The transverse bars 28 are connected to each belt 24 by means of atwo-part clamp illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. Each clamp comprisestwo-H-shaped clamp parts 37 and 38, the belt 24 being sandwiched betweentransverse portions 41 and 42 of the H-shaped clamp parts 37 and 38. Thelength of the transverse portions 41 and 42 is at least equal to thewidth of the belt 24 so that longitudinal portions 43 and 44 of theH-shaped clamp parts 37 and 38 lie beyond the belt 24 and can be boltedtogether by means of bolts 45 extending through holes 46 in the clamppart 37 and being screwed into screwthreaded holes 47 in the clamp part38. The bolts 45 also extend through holes in the transverse bars 28near their ends and thus connect the transverse bars 28 to the belts 24.It will be seen that while the clamp parts 37 and 38 are tightly clampedto the belt 24 by the bolts 45, the said bolts do not penetrate throughthe belt 24 but lie at both sides of the belt 24. Thereby any weakeningof the belt 24 by bolts penetrating through the belt is avoided.Furthermore, the clamp part 37 acts as a spacer between the respectivetransverse bar 28 and the belt 24. The transverse portion 42 of theclamp part 38 is conical insection perpendicular to the axis of theshafts 21 and 211 as can best be seen from FIG. 1. The clamps are solocated on the belts 24, that the conical portions 42 of the clamp parts38 are received in the conical recesses 23 of the toothed wheels 17while the respective clamp travels with a toothed wheel 17 about itsshaft 21 or 211.

Brushes 48 are provided for cleaning the teeth gaps 18 and recesses 23of the toothed wheels 17.

The toothed Wheels 17 are covered at their sides by discs 51.

The embodiment described operates as follows:

The toothed wheels 17 keyed to the shaft 21 are rotated by the drive 22..Thereby the belts 24 travel in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 1,and'cause the push members 13 fixed to the transverse bars 28 topenetrate the slot 12 in the table through the .widened opening 121 atone end ofthe 'slot 12 to travel along said slot 12 while pushing anarticle 11 forward along the table 10, and to leave the slot 12 throughthe'widened opening 121 at the other end of the slot '11. The transversebars 28 being guided by the channels 32 and by the circular guidechannels 35. By connecting the transverse bars 28 to the belts 24 bymeans of clamps having two parts 37 and 38 in the manner hereinbeforedescribed, any bolts, screws or like means for connecting the transversebars 28 to the belts 24 and which would penetrate the belts 24 and maydamage and weaken the same are avoided. Again, by spacing the transversebars 28 from the belts 24 by means of the clamp portions 37 it isachieved that any dirt or dust which may in use be deposited in suchspacing may fall out therefrom under the action of gravity while thebelt 24 travels in an upwards or downwards direction. If the transversebars 28 would be mounted tight against the belts 24, a temporary gapbetween the bars 28 and'the adjacent surfaces of the belts 24 would,nevertheless, be formed while the bars 28 travel with the toothed wheels17 in a curved path. Any dirt or dust deposited in such temporary gapwould be compacted when the belts 24 and the respective bars 28subsequently travel along a straight path. ditficult to remove suchcompacted dirt or dust which, when not removed, would buckle the beltsand give rise to difficulties in use. By the provision of a' permanentspacing between the transverse bars and the belts dirt and dust ifdeposited is not compacted and is periodically and automatically removedin use when the respective bar travels in an upwards or downwarddirection.

It Will be also appreciated that the belts 24 do not require anylubrication or any adjustment owing to wear and tear. The brushes 48,which if desired may be omitted, serve to keep clean the teeth, the gaps18 and the recesses 23 of the toothed wheels 17.

While I have described a specific embodiment of my invention I wish itto be clearly understood that the embodiment described and illustratedhas been given by way It would be 4 of example and that manymodifications, omissions and additions are possible without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In and for a packing machine, a conveyor arrangement comprising aplurality of members for conveying articles from one placev to another,two endless parallel pull-resisting conveyor belts, a plurality ofelements extending transversely to said conveyor belts, each transverseelement carryingone of said conveying members, means for clamping eachof said transverse elements to said conveyor belts and for distancingsaid transverse elements from said belts, teeth provided on eachconveyor belt, toothed wheels for driving said conveyor belts, and teethon said toothed wheels, said teeth of said toothed Wheels being'complementary to and meshing with teeth on said belts, wherein saidclamping means each comprise a first H-shaped clamping part at one sideof a conveyor belt, a second H-shaped clamping part at the other side ofsaid conveyor belt, each H-shaped clamping part having parallellongitudinal portions and a transverse portion between said longitudinalportions, the length of said, transverse portion being at least equal tothe width of said conveyor belt, said transverse portion of said secondclamp part being adapted to engage a gap between adjacent teeth of saidconveyor belt, the longitudinal portions being parallel to the'adjacentmargin of said conveyor belt, and a plurality of bolts each passingoutside the conveyor belt through a pair of registering holes'in thelongitudinal portions of said first and'second'clamping parts andthrough holes in one of said transverse elements whereby said transverseelement and said first and second clamping parts are clamped to saidconveyor belt.

2'. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said first clampingpartis arranged for distancingsaid transverse element from said conveyorbelt.

3. An arrangement as defined'in' claim 1, wherein said transverseportion of said second clamping part tapers in cross-sectionperpendicular to said transverse portion for adapting said transverseportion to be received in a recess provided in' a gap between teeth ofsaid toothed wheels, said recess being complementarily tapering.

4. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, and comprising bolts bolting'said push members to said transverse elements, each to one.

'. 'References'Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 697,2024/1902 Donne a 198-495 X 1,793,158 2/1931 Clayton 198-l72 X 2,326,7198/1943 Myers 198195 X 2,461,150 2/1949 Flynn et al 198-198 X 2,753,9807/1956 Ballard 198-174 2,971,443 2/1961 Striplin .L 198165 X 7 OTHERREFERENCES German printed application 1,159,847, December 1963.

MARVIN A. CHAMPTON, Primary Examiner. EVON C. BLUNK, Examiner. R. J.HICKEY, Assistant Examiner

1. IN AND FOR A PACKING MACHINE, A CONVEYOR ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING APLURALITY OF MEMBERS FOR CONVEYING ARTICLES FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER,TWO ENDLESS PARALLEL PULL-RESISTING CONVEYOR BELTS, A PLURALITY OFELEMENTS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO SAID CONVEYOR BELTS, EACH TRANSVERSEELEMENT CARRYING ON OF SAID CONVEYING MEMBERS, MEANS FOR CLAMPING EACHOF SAID TRANSVERSE ELEMENTS TO SAID CONVEYOR BELTS AND FOR DISTANCINGSAID TRANSVERSE ELEMENTS FROM SAID BELTS, TEETH PROVIDED ON EACHCONVEYOR BELT, TOOTHED WHEELS FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR BELTS, AND TEETHON SAID TOOTHED BELTS, TEETH PROVIDED ON EACH CONVEYOR WHEELS BEINGCOMPLEMENTARY TO SAID MESHING WITH TEETH ON SAID BELTS, WHEREIN SAIDCLAMPING MEANS EACH COMPRISE A FIRST H-SHAPED CLAMPING PART AT ONE SIDEOF A CONVEYOR BELT, A SECOND H-SHAPED CLAMPING PART AT THE OTHER SIDE OFSAID CONVEYOR BELT, EACH H-SHAPED CLAMPING PART HAVING PARALLELLONGITUDINAL PORTIONS AND A TRANSVERSE PORTION BETWEEN SAID LONGITUDINALPORTIONS, THE LENGTH OF SAID TRANSVERSE PORTION BEING AT LEAST EQUAL TOTHE WIDTH OF SAID CONVEYOR BELT, SAID TRANSVERSE PORTION OF SAID SECONDCLAMP PART BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A GAP BETWEEN ADJACENT TEETH OF SAIDCONVEYOR BELT, THE LONGITUDINAL PORTIONS BEING PARALLEL TO THE ADJACENTMARGIN OF SAID CONVEYOR BELT, AND A PLURALITY OF BOLTS EACH PASSINGOUTSIDE THE CONVEYOR BELT THROUGH A PAIR OF REGISTERING HOLES IN THELONGITUDINAL PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CLAMPING PARTS ANDTHROUGH HOLES IN ONE OF SAID TRANSVERSE ELEMENTS WHEREBY SAID TRANSVERSEELEMENT AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND CLAMPING PARTS ARE CLAMPED TO SAIDCONVEYOR BELT.